Rolling machine



ROLLING MACHINE Filed June 19, 194.3

Patented Feb. 19, 1946 UNITED- STATES PATENT oFl-lc ROLLING MACHINE Carl C. Grotnes, Park Rdge,'lll. Application Junef19, 1943, Serial No. 491,428

1 claim.

The invention relates to rolling machines for formingV th'e ends of cylinders employed in the construction of drums, barrels and similar articles, and has for its general object the provision of improved means for mounting the forming rolls of such machines so that they may be quickly and easily adjusted to take up wear or to ada-pt the machine for operatingV on stock of different gauges. v Another object is to provide an improved bearing for a roll carrying spindle, which is adjustable as a unit with the spindle and forming roll carried thereby for variably positioning the roll without requiring its disengagement from the shaftA cr disassembly of any machine parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure lis a fragmentary vertical sectional View of a rolling machine equipped with roll supporting means embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken in a vertical plane `substantially on the line 2'2 of Fig. 1. I I

For purposes of illustration the invention has been shown and will `be described herein asembodied in a machine of the. type disclosed in my priorPatentNo.` 1,807,980, granted June 2, 1931. It will be appreciated, however, that .the invention is in no wise limited to use in this particular.

machine. In general, the exemplary machine includes a set of power driven forming rolls mounted on parallel shafts or spindles spaced apart vertically to enable the formed peripheral surfaces of the rolls to coact in shaping the end portion of a cylindrical workpiece to a desired contour. The rolls are mounted for relative swinging movement transversely of their rotational axes to permit a finished workpiece to be removed and a new workpiece to be inserted between the rolls.

Power means is provided for closing the rolls together on the workpiece and for driving one or both of the rolls to perform the shaping operation.

Correct spacing of the coacting roll surfaces is an important factor in producing smooth, unwrinkled work and this spacing must be varied, of course, for Workpieces made of stock of different gauges. Likewise, adjustment of th'e relative spacing of the rolls is required from time to time to take up the wear occurring from continued' use ci the machine. The invention provides novel means for supporting one of the forming rolls so that it may be shifted in the direction of its axis of rotation to effect such adjustment.`

Referring to the drawing, the machine selected to illustrate the invention is equipped with upper and lower forming rolls 5 and 6 shapedfor rolling a ange 'I onfthe end of a cylindrical workpiece 8. 'Ihe lower roll `6 is supported for rotation ona horizontal axis by a standard 9 rising from a suitable base (not shown). Guide means in the form of rollers I0 journaled on standard II at opposite sides of the lower roll 6, serve to hold the work in proper relation to the forming rolls.

The upper forming roll 5 is rotatably mounted on a frame I2 adapted to swing about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the roll so that fthe latter may be moved to a withdrawn position to provide clearance for the workpieces. The frame I2, as herein shown, is supported for swinging movement by transversely disposed trunnions I3, journaled in upstanding frame members I4.

Power actuated means is provided for swinging the frame including a rotatably driven cam I5 operative to swing the frame in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, and thus close the upper and lower rolls together on the work. A drawbar I6, actuated by a pin I1 projecting laterally from th'e cam I 5 and engaging ina notch. in one side of the bar, is operative to swing the frame in the opposite direction for separating the rolls. j

When the rolls 5 and are closed together,- the upper-.roll acts to bend the end portion of the workpiece over the edge of the lower roll 6, as shown in Fig. 1. Rotation of the rolls imparts rotation to the workpiece, and the flange.d 'I is, accordingly, formed around the entire periphery thereof. In practice, the workpiece is usually rotated through, at least, two complete revolutions in engagement with the forming rolls after which the upper roll is automatically retracted by the swinging of the frame to the Withdrawn position.

To enable the rolls 5 and 6 to form a smooth ange free from wrinkles or other irregularities, the spacing of the rolls must be accurately adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the stock of which the workpiece is constructed. The invention provides novel means for supporting one of the forming rolls, preferably the upper roll 5 so that such adjustments can be made very easily and quickly without disassembling any of the machine parts.

Referring to Fig. 1 ofthe drawing, the supporting means for the upper roll 5, in its preferred form, comprises a shaft or spindle 20 having a main bearing section 2|, disposed between an intermediate section 22 and an end section 23, both of reduced diameter. The forming roll is keyed to the intermediate section 22 and is rigidly clamped to the shoulder presented by the main section by a lock nut 24 threaded onto the section 22. The adjacent end portion of the spindle, which constitutes an outer bearing section, is further reduced in diameter to providey clearance for the nut 24.

A driving pinion 26 is keyed to the end section 23 of the spindle and is rigidly clamped against the shoulder presented by the adjacent end of the main bearing section 2| by a lock nut 21 threaded on the spindle. The pinion is adapted to engage a power driven gear (not shown) for rotatably driving the spindle and forming roll 5 as explained in the patent above referred to.

The spindle extends through and the main bearing section thereof is journaled in a bearing member 30 inthe form of a cylindrical sleeve'of bronze or 'other metal commonly employed for journal bearings. As will be seen by reference to Fig. l, the bearing member is approximately the same length as the main bearing section of the spindle, there being just sufficient clearance between the ends ofthe member and the adjacent faces ofthe roll 5 and pinion 2B to permit the spindle to rotate freely in the bearing member while preventing any appreciable endwise movement of the spindle relative to the member.

It will be apparent that the bearing member 30 is adapted to support the spindle assembly for rotation. The bearing member in turn, is supported on the frame I2 for adjustment longitudinally of the spindle whereby the assembled parts may be shifted as a unit to adjust the spacing of the forming roll 5 with respect to the companion roll 6. To provide for such adjustment, the bearing member is threaded externally for engagement with internal screw threads which may be formed either directly in a suitable bore SI in the frame, or preferably in a flanged bushing 32 seated in the bore and rigidly secured to the frame asby .machine screws. Thus. endwise adjustment of the bearing member and parts assembled therewith may be effected by rotating the bearing member in the buhing- Additional support for the spindle is provided by a bearing bushing 35 carried by a depending bracket 88 removably secured to the outer end of a forwardly projecting extension 31 of the frame. The outer bearing section 25 of the spindle is adapted to slide as Well as rotate in the bushing 35 so that longitudinal adjustments of the spindle are not interfered with by the bearing.

To hold the spindle and roller assembly in adjusted position, the bearing member 30 is formed at one end with an annular flange 38 having its periphery notched as at 39 for the reception of a locking pin 40. As herein shown, the pin is slidably fitted in a vertical bore in the frame projection 31 and its lower end or tip 4l is tapered to fit snugly into the notches 39 of the bearing member flange. To facilitate withdrawal, a head 42 is formed on the upper end of the pin.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the upper forming roll 5 and the associated elements including the spindle 20, the pinion 26 and the bearing member 30, may be shifted longitudinally of the axis of the spindle as a unit by simply withdrawing the locking pin and rotating the bearing member in the bushing 32. Thus, the relative spacing' of the rolls 5 and B may be adjusted very easily and quickly without necessitating the freeing of the roll 5 from the spindle or any disassembling of parts of the machine.v The bearing member may be formed with threads of relatively fine lead thus permitting extremely accurate adjustment of the rolls.

I claim as my invention:

In a machine of the class described, in combination, a shaft, spaced bearings supporting said shaft for rotation, a rigid frame structure including an overhanging arm connecting said bearings and supporting the same, one of said bearings comprising a sleeve member having a screw threaded connection with said frame structure whereby the member may be adjustably positioned in an axial direction by a rotational movement, a roll fast on said shaft intermediate said bearings; means on said shaft coacting with said sleeve member to cause said shaft to move with the member in its axial adjustment, a peripherally notched disk rigid with said sleeve .member and disposed between said bearings adjacent one end of said roll, and a locking pin seated vin said overhanging' arm for coaction with said notched disk to hold said sleeve member and said shaft in adjusted positions. y

CARL C. GROTNES. 

